NEW DELHI: India and Maldives held extensive talks on Sunday to find out a “mutually workable solution” after President Mohamed Muizzu requested New Delhi to withdraw all troops from the archipelago by March 15.
The issue was discussed during the first meeting of the India-Maldives high-level core group in Male.
During the meeting, both sides discussed a mutual solution that will enable continued operation of the Indian military platforms in the island nation.
“Both sides also held discussions on finding a mutually workable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives,” the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
The core group was formed following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai last month.
During campaigning for the presidential polls in Maldives, Muizzu, who is seen as pro-China, had vowed to remove all Indian troops from the island and even led the controversial “India Out” campaign.
Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the principal secretary to the Maldivian president, said at a media briefing in Male that Muizzu asked the Maldivian delegation to inform Indian officials in the core group meeting that the troops must be withdrawn by March 15.
“Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and that of this administration,” Ibrahim said.
The MEA said that both sides held discussions on wide-ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects.
“It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the high-level core group in India on a mutually convenient date,” it said.
The Indian delegation at the meeting comprised high commissioner Munu Mahawar and a number of other diplomats from the Indian mission.
The Maldivian team comprised the ambassador at large in the foreign ministry, Ali Naseer Mohamed, and the Maldivian high commissioner to India, Ibrahim Shaheeb, among several other officials.
According to the latest government figures, around 90 Indian personnel are currently staying in the Maldives primarily to operate and maintain two helicopters and an aircraft.
The meeting comes at a time when ties between India and Maldives are already under strain after three ministers from the Muizzu government made derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi after his Lakshadweep tweet.
The ministers were suspended by the Maldives government following an intense backlash over their remarks.
However, the controversy triggered a massive Boycott Maldives campaign in India.
Pivot towards China
During his recent state visit to China, president Muizzu sought to align Maldives closer to Beijing.
He even requested China to increase tourism to Maldives amid the backlash in India.
Speaking to the press on Saturday after returning from China, President Muizzu indirectly attacked India.
Without naming any country, he said, “We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us.”
He also announced plans to reduce the country’s dependency on India, including securing imports of essential food commodities and medicine and consumables from other countries.
“We aren’t in anyone’s backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state,” he said, addressing the reporters gathered at the Velana International Airport.
He said that no country has the right to exert influence over the domestic affairs of a country, regardless of its size.
He vowed that he would not allow any external influence on the domestic affairs of the Maldives.
Male is also reviewing more than 100 bilateral agreements with New Delhi signed by the previous government.
